CMV infection during pregnancy and impact on fetal health

 A pregnant woman faces many problems during pregnancy, as the weight of the fetus affects her body, and may expose her to back and abdominal pain. There are easy exercises that you can apply to strengthen the pelvic muscles during pregnancy.

First exercise

It is first important to sit correctly before doing the exercises, by placing a pillow under the body to sit on to raise it slightly off the ground. This step also helps to open the pelvic muscles more and enhance the straightening of the back in an ideal way in preparation for performing the exercises. Then you should place your feet opposite each other. Then, move your legs in repetitive movements like the wings of a butterfly. This exercise helps enhance the flexibility of the pelvic muscles.

The second exercise

  You can do it by straightening your legs, then placing the left foot on top of the right leg, bending the body backward in a gentle, non-exaggerated movement to enhance the flexibility of the pelvic muscles, and then repeating the same movements with the right foot, taking into account deep breathing while performing the exercises.

   How can you do these exercises?

Make sure the bladder is completely empty

Before performing this exercise, you must make sure that the bladder is empty and does not have any leakage. Studies have shown that performing a bladder examination before performing Kegel exercises gives good and effective results and increases efficiency.

Identify your pelvic muscles

Before doing Kegel exercises, you must identify the pelvic muscles. The most common way to identify the pelvic muscles is to try to observe the area from which flatus (gas) comes out and at the same time interrupt the flow of urine before completing the urination process.

The sensation is somewhere between being squeezed and lifted as if you are being lifted up and inward around the front and back passages. You must press hard enough

Just try to identify the muscles accurately to make sure that the correct muscles are being exercised.

Note: Although you may have trouble identifying these muscles at first, it gets easier with practice. You can place your hands on the abdominal area while exercising; To make sure it is relaxed enough.

Contract and relax these muscles

One of the ways to perform this exercise is to work on contracting and extending the muscles that control the flow of urine. When you do this, you will feel mild contractions in the area below the pelvis, which is the area of the urinary canal and anus. However, if you feel contractions in the stomach muscles or buttocks, you must realize that these are not the desired muscles!

Find a comfortable body position

You can practice these exercises either sitting on a chair or lying on the floor, and all you need to do is make sure that your abdominal muscles and buttocks are relaxed if you practice Kegel exercises while lying on your back with your arms beside you.

Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds

When the pelvic floor muscles are located, press them for five seconds - five seconds may be long for beginners - so we advise you to press for 2 to 3 seconds at first and then increase gradually.

Relax the muscles for 10 seconds

An effective way to succeed in Kegel exercises is to stretch the muscles for 10 seconds before repeating the exercise. Because this period is sufficient to relax the muscles. So before you start repeating the exercise, count from one to ten.

Note: If you suffer from urinary incontinence, try doing Kegel exercises while sneezing, coughing, or lifting anything; You may find that it protects you from the risk of urine leakage that used to accompany these actions.

How many times should I do these exercises a day?

Doing any exercises in an exaggerated or excessive manner may exhaust you greatly during pregnancy. Therefore, you need to know exactly how much is required of you.

Start doing Kegel exercises simply at first, and over time, when you feel that your muscles have become stronger, gradually increase both the number of contractions that you perform each day and lengthen the period during which you perform each contraction until you reach the desired goal.

This is done by squeezing and contracting the muscles for five seconds, then relaxing for 10 seconds and repeating this ten times. You must do one set ten times, 3 to 4 times a day.

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